Boot tree



Marh 21, 1933. F, R, MNE 1,902,251

B001' TREE Filed May 25. 1931 l j j?. .lo

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Patented Mar. 2l, 1933 reiterar vorrice FRED R. MAIER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI BOOT TREE Application filed May 25K,

This invention relates to boot trees and has for its principal object to support and retain both the lankle and cali portions' of a boot in substantially the same position as when the boot is on the foot oiithe wearer.

It is also an important object of the invention to provide la boot tree that is easily installed and adjusted in a boot.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a boot illustrating the application of a boot tree embodying my invention.

F ig. 2 is a detail perspective view' of the calf and shin sections of the boot tree shown in spaced relation to better illustrate the spreading mechanism by Ywhich the sections are spread apart to lill the leg of the boot.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the leg of the boot and tree on the line ii-3,

' 25 Flg. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing: l and 2 designate the iront and rear sections of a boot tree having substantially the contour of the shin and calf portions of a nj-J boot and which are preferablyl constructed of metal and are hollowed out to lighten their weight and provide space 'for accommodating spreading mechanism whereby the sections are spread kapart to iill out the leg s and ankle portions of a boot.

The front cr shin section 1 is provided at its lower end with a recess 3 having a transverse upper edge 4 and downwardly extending and rearwardly inclined edges 5 providing wings 6 for pivotally mounting a foot portion 7 that conforms in shape to the -foot portion oi' a boot. The wings 6 are provided with scclets 8 and 9 to accommodate ears 10 carried by the foot portion which is pivotally mounted to the shin section of the tree, on a rod ll projecting through openings l2 in the ears and aligning openings 13 in the bottoni of the sockets 8 and 9.

The ends of the rod are preferably peened over the ears 10 to retain it inposition. rlhe 1931. Serial No. 539,778.

upper edges 14 and 15 of the foot portion conform in shape to the recess 4 but the lower ends of the edges 15 incline forwardly below the ears 10 to allowkdownward, pivotal movement of the foot portion when the section is inserted into a boot.

Extending horizontally between the wings G at a point above the pivot rod 11 is a horizontally positioned web 16 having'a notch 17 extending inwardlyv from its rear edge to guide a wedging member on the calf section, later described. The upper closed end 18 of the shin section is provided with a depending boss 19 extending from the front wall of the section and terminating in alignment with the side edges 20 and v.21 thereof.l The boss has a longitudinal bore 22 having a threaded portion 23 at its inner end and an enlarged plane portion 24 at vits outer end to accommodate an adjusting screw 25 having av wing-shaped lhead by which the screw may be threaded through the boss.

The rear or calf section 2 is also provided with a closed upper end 2 6 having a depending boss 27 aligning with the boss 19 on the shin section and which is provided with a concave socket 28 for accommodating the end of the screw 25.

Extending vertically throughthe boss is an opening 29 for slidably mounting a rod 30 having a. threaded upper end projecting above the upper end of the section. to accommodate a wing nut 3l that is threadedly mounted thereon to engage the closed upper end oi' the section and effect support of the rod vertically in substantially the median line of the section. The upper end of the rod has a head 32 for prevent-ing displace-v ment of the wing `nut when the rod is moved to its lowermost position in the tree. In order to allow pivotal swinging move ment of the rod,'the wing nut isprovided with a cone-shaped lower end 33 whereby they nut can accommodate itself with relation to the inclination of the rod. Pivotally mounted on the lower end of the rod by a pin 34 is -a spreading wedge member 35 having downwardly diverging front and of the boot;

rear faces 36 and 37, the upper end of the wedge being provided with a slot 38 for accommodating the end of the rod and to allow free movement of the wedge thereon.

Extending laterally from the side faces 39 and 4() of the wedge and in alignment with the rear face 37 are rectangular shaped ribs 4l and 42 for guiding the wedge in a. T-shaped notch 43 formed in the forward face of a web 44. The web 44 is positioned slightly above the elevation of the web 16 in the shin section of the tree.

In order to normally retain the front face' 36 of the wedge in rearwardly inclined po,

sition when the wedge is retracted as shown in Fig. 2, so that the rear section may be readily inserted, the calf section is provided with a forwardly extending post 45 for engaging and retaining the rod 30 in substantially vertical alignment with the tree section when the wedge is moved to retracted position, which, due to the guiding relation of the ribs 41 and 42 in the T-shaped notch causes the wedge to incline rearwardly in the section to prevent the lower edge or" the face 36 from projecting beyond the side edges 46 and 47 of the tree section.

In assembling a tree, constructed as described, in a boot, Vas illustrated in Fig. 1, the shin section is inserted through the leg portion 48.0f the boot so that the toe portion thereof projects into the foot portion The calf section, with the wedging member vpositioned as shown in Fig. 2, is then inserted alongside the shin section so that the edges 20 and 21 on the shin section align with the edges 46 a-nd 47 of the calf section.

The wedge rmember is then in engagement with the notch 17 in the web 16 and when the wing nut 31 is rotated to draw the rod upwardly, the inclined faces 36 and 37 on the wedge will cause the lower ends of the tree sections to move apart and fill out th-e ankle portions-ofthe boot, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper ends of the sections may then be spread apart by adjusting the screw member 35 to lill out the shin and calf sections of the boot.

During this adjustment, the lower ends ofthe sectionsfulcrum on the wedge 35. However, separation of the upper ends of the tree does not materially change the adjustment afforded by the wedge member, but should slight readjustment be necessary it may be'made by again manipulating the nut 31.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a boot tree of simple construction whereby the ankle portion may be adjusted substantially independent of the leg portion of vla boot so that the entire boot is filled out and supported in the same position as when the boot is on the foot of the wearer.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Y 1. A boot tree including shin and calf sections, a wedge-shaped member slidably engaging one of the sections, a rod movable longitudinally of the sections to actuate the wedge to spread the lower ends of the sections, means on one of the sections for engaging the rod to eect pivotal movement of the wedge into that section when the wedge is in retracted position, and means for spreading the upper ends of the sections.

2. A boot tree including shin and calf sections, means for spreading said sections apart comprising a wedge member having inclined faces engageable with said sections, guide means on the wedge engageable with one ofthe sections, and means on one of the sections for efectingpivotal movement of the wedge within said section when the wedge is in retracted position.

. 3. A boot tree including shin and calf sections, a rod mounted in one of the-sections, a wedge member pivotally connected with the rod, webs on the sections having notches for guiding the wedge, means for actuating the wedge member to .spread the sections apart, and means on one of the sections to pivot the wedge within one of the sections when the wedge is in retracted position.

4. A boot treevincluding shin and calf sections, a rod vertically mounted in one lof the sections, a wedge member pivotally connected with the rod, means for actuating the rod to expand the sections in a boot, and means on one of the sectionsvto retain the wedge within one of the sections when the wedge is in retracted position.

5. A boot tree including front and rear sections, a wedge-shaped member pivotally suspended for sliding support between the sections, means for actuating said wedgeshaped member to spread the lower ends of said sections, means for effecting pivoting of the wedge-shaped member into one of the sections when the wedge-'actuating means moves the wedge to retracted position, and means carried by the upper end of one of the sections and engaging the other section to spread the upper ends of the sections.

6. Ina. boot tree including a frontsection for supporting the shin portion of a boot leg and a rear section for supporting the calf portion of the boot leg, a web member in one of the sections, a web member in the other section offset from the iirst web member, a wedge member slidably retained on one of the web! members and arranged to engage the other web member whereby the wedge member is free to rock relatively to said web members to effect yielding action on the part of the wedge upon sliding movementof said wedge member, and actuating means pivotally connecting with the wedge member for moving the Wedge member' to eect spreading of the sections.

7. A boot tree including a front section for supporting the shin portion of a boot leg and a rear section for supporting the calf portion of the boot leg7 a Web member in one of the sections, a Web member in the other section offset from the first Web member, a Wedge member slidably retained on one of the web members and arranged to engage the other web member vvhereby the Wedge member is free to rock relatively to said web members to effect yielding action on the part of the Wedge member upon sliding movement of said Wedge member, Wedge actuating means pivotally connectingrvvith the Wedge member, and means for spreading the upper portions of said sections.

8. A boot tree including a front section for supporting the shin portion of a boot leg and a rear section for supporting the calf portion of the boot leg, a web member in one 0I" the sections having a T-shaped notc-h7 a Wedge member slidable in the notch and having lateral ribs engaging in the lateral portions of the notch for retaining a Wedge, a web member in the other section and having a notch for slidably receiving the opposite side of the Wedge and offset relatively to the first named Web member whereby the Wedge member is ree to rock on said web members to eect yielding action on the part of the Wedge member upon sliding movement of said Wedge mem-V ber, and means pivotally connected Withtlie Wedge member for slidably moving the Wedge member to spread the sections apart.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

FRED R. MAIER. 

